


I Don't Want to Talk About It

by bracus09



Category: SEAL Team (TV)
Genre: Clay Spenser Whump, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:33:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22591054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bracus09/pseuds/bracus09
Summary: When a series of minor accidents get you down.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 88





	I Don't Want to Talk About It

**Author's Note:**

> Something fun and lighthearted while I'm still working on "B" on the Alphabet Whump Series.

Darren “Big D” Johnston looked up at the old ship compass that was his clock for behind the bar. Not quite 10 a.m. yet. He wouldn’t officially open for hours but he was here because he was expecting some early beer deliveries. He went back to unpacking a case of glasses. A bachelor party for one of the guys on Foxtrot had decimated his supply. Someone had told them that they had to smash the glasses in the fireplace after each toast to insure a long and happy marriage. You’d think that even toasted out of their minds, SEALs would be able to tell the old jukebox from a fireplace.

He heard the front door rattle. The beer guys all used the back door. He looked up at one of the sorriest sights he’d seen in ages.

“You open?” Came the quiet question.

“Since it’s obviously an emergency, how can I not be?” Big D said, trying to keep any sound of sympathy from his voice. He had a gruff Master Chief reputation to uphold.

It almost hurt to watch Clay Spenser limp into the bar. Even in the relatively dim light, Big D could see the swelling around his left eye and the red bumps on his neck and face. He walked around to the back of the bar as Clay gently eased himself onto a barstool with a groan. “I don’t want to talk about it,” Clay said emphatically.

“Sure thing. What’ll ya have?” Big D said as he reached for a glass.

“Anything, as long as it’s cold, wet and 100 proof,” Clay sighed.

This looked rough. Big D noticed that Clay’s hands and forearms were covered with scratches. They also bore angry looking red marks like he had on his face and neck. The bumps looked like stings. Big D wouldn’t ask about them. He knew that despite what he had said, Spenser would tell him all about it. It was one of the reasons he was here. Big D could wait. He had all the time in the world.

Big D set a glass of beer in front of him. There was no way that he was getting anything that was anywhere near 100 proof. In fact, after he had one or two, Big D would switch him over to a more watered-down brew. He also set a small basket in front him.

Clay knew the routine. He fished his keys out of his pocket and tossed them into the basket. He could get as pissed as he wanted but he wasn’t going to drive that way. Those were the house rules at the Bulkhead. Of all the people who cross over the doorway, the SEAL team members knew they lived a dangerous life and there was no need to increase the danger at home from drinking and driving.

Clay drank his beer in a kind of brooding silence. Big D went back to unpacking the glasses and gave him his space. He heard a noise at the back door.

“Sounds like I have a delivery. Be right back,” Big D said.

If Clay hadn’t waved his hand slightly, Big D would have been sure he hadn’t heard him at all.

It wasn’t a beer delivery. It was Jasper Simmons, his cook. Jasper was 3IC on Whiskey team seven years ago before he had a run in with an IED that took his leg from the knee down. Jasper was bringing in supplies for surf and turf dinners that was added to the menus last month. Jasper loved to cook, and SEALs loved to eat. At least here, they knew they wouldn’t be summoned to an OP before they could finish a meal. It was better that they had food in their stomachs rather than just alcohol anyway. He helped Jasper unload the groceries. “You’d better thaw out a burger for Spenser,” Big D advised.

“Thought that was his Nova. Why is he gracing our doorstep this early?” Jasper asked, looking at his friend.

“He looks like he’s been rode hard and put up wet. Heard from Romeo that Bravo was spun-up a couple of days ago.” Big D pointed out.

“I’ll get on it as soon as I get the perishables taken care of,” Jasper promised.

“No hurry. He’s still in the ‘not talking’ stage.” Big D replied.

“That won’t last long with that opinionated, cocky shit,” Jasper laughed.

“Never does. I’d better get back out there. Listen for the Budweiser guy. He’s due anytime now.” Big D agreed and started heading back to the bar.

“Will do.” Jasper mocked saluted him.

Big D went back into the bar. Clay had just polished off his first beer. Big D silently slid a second one in front of the uptight sniper. Clay didn’t speak so Big D began wiping down the bar. He made an off-hand comment, “Some days just seem to be cursed.”

“You have no idea,” Clay agreed, shaking his head sadly. “I mean, I don’t believe it myself and I was there.”

“Rough op?” Big D asked.

“Oh, it started way before then. First thing in the morning, we’re sitting around eating some breakfast before drills. Brock had brought in donuts. But I got to thinking that we always have donuts, with all that sugar. Bad for your teeth and Sonny’s waistline,” he added with a laugh.

Big D could see that Clay was beginning to relax and he joined in the laugh at Sonny’s expense. He poured some stale cheese popcorn into a large bowl and put it within Clay’s reach. It would help soak up the beer until Jasper got the grill fired up.

Clay unconsciously took a handful and stuffed it into his mouth, then he went on with his tale of woe. “So, I’m thinking let’s try to find something healthier, and I dig through the cabinets and found a box of Raisin Bran.”

“Jasper says its good and it keeps him regular,” Big D told him. He was glad that Jasper was out of earshot. He knew damned well that the retired SEAL would eat broken glass before he’d eat cold cereal of any kind. He claimed it was far too white bread for his fine African taste buds. Although those same taste buds seemed to find every other food on Earth to their liking.

***

Clay grabbed a bowl out of the cabinet and poured cereal into it. Leaving the box on the counter, he carried the bowl of cereal over to the fridge to grab the milk, poured it on while digging through a drawer for a spoon. He carried the bowl over to the table and sat down watching the guys eat two donuts a piece. “You guys are ruining your health with all that sugar.”

“Oh, what do you know?” Sonny snarked back.

“I know that the annual physicals are around the corner and certain people might want to start watching their waistlines,” Clay teased watching Sonny tense up a bit.

“For your information, I weigh the same now as I did in high school,” Sonny glowered.

“Oh yeah? So, you were fat in high school too?” Clay asked ‘innocently’. 

Before further bickering could erupt further, Trent got up and walked over to the counter. He got a bowl and poured himself some cereal. “I think Clay has something here,” he said returning to the table.

“You do?” Ray asked skeptical.

“Yes, I do. Look at this list of vitamins and nutrients listed here. This is way healthier than the empty calories and sugar in those donuts.” Trent replied.

“See, the medic agrees!” Clay tried to rub it in the guys’ faces.

“I don’t know about the nutrition angle,” Brock said slowly, not giving up his sugary goodness. “But I know I wouldn’t eat that cereal.

“Why no, Brock?” Clay laughed. “Would it be that you feel that you got burned by buying those donuts and us being too smart to eat them?”

“Smart’s not the word that comes to mind when it comes to eating that cereal,” Brock insisted.

“Oh yeah, well watch this,” Clay said, while shoveling a healthy spoonful into his mouth. “If you think me and Trent are gonna bite on that one, you’re nuts. This cereal is a lot healthier than that stuff.” Clay pushed the box of donuts across the table with disdain.

“These were just made this morning and they don’t have bugs in them,” Brock said simply, helping himself to another donut.

“That’s stupid,” Clay laughed shoveling another spoonful into his mouth.

Ray leaned closer to Clay’s bowl. “He’s right! There’s things crawling around in there!”

“Those are raisins,” Clay said, not looking down at the bowl.

“Those are raisins.” Ray pointed to the raisins. “These are bugs.” He pointed to one of the flakes.

Clay stared at it. If he didn’t know better, he’d almost think that something was moving around on the flake, but he was sure they were making the whole thing up.

Trent stared into his own bowl. “Fuck. He’s right. It looks like larva.” Trent jumped up from his seat and walked over to the garbage can and dumped the content of the bowl into it. He was ecstatic that he hadn’t taken a bite yet.

Jason got up and got the box. He opened it and looked inside. “This stuff has been in there a while. Yep, it’s full of bugs. We’d better check out the rest of the stuff in the cabinet.

Clay sat there a minute. He was still in denial, but the more he stared at the flake the more he was sure that he’d been eating buggy cereal. He suddenly got up and ran for the nearest restroom.

“You’re looking a little green around the gills for a guy who’s such a picture of good health,” Sonny called after him with an evil laugh. Jason, Ray and Brock’s laughter could be heard following him.

Trent felt a little sorry for their youngest, so he slid some bread, after checking for mold, into the toaster for him.

***

“And if that wasn’t bad enough, Sonny blabbed the whole thing to Davis. And Davis, being Gossip Central, couldn’t stand it when I stopped him from telling her. She calls in Mandy and Blackburn to relay the information about how something I ate disagreed with me,” Clay complained, draining the last of his glass of beer.

“Doesn’t sound like a very good start to the day,” Big D agreed, drawing him another brew. He nodded as Jasper walked in from the back room. Spenser didn’t even seem to see him.

“The worst part is, that things actually got worse from then on,” Clay complained. “We got sent on an Op to South Africa because some terrorist leader was spotted.”

***

Everyone crested over the hill where they looked down upon a ramshackle house. They could see two guards outside, but that was it.

Jason turned to look at Clay, “Set up overwatch over on the hill to east.”  
Clay quickly nodded and took off to the hill so that he could provide cover for his brothers.

Once he was in position, he radioed over, “Bravo 6 in position.”

With a quick confirmation from Bravo 1, they quickly breached the house. Clay kept his eyes on the house to make sure that no tangos approached the house. He saw everything was going smoothly and didn’t notice that a curious monkey was starting to approach him from behind.

Clay heard the “Jackpot” over the radio, and their HVT was eliminated, so he relaxed his guard somewhat. Now, they just needed to make exfil and they were good to go. The monkey reached for Clay’s pants and gave a slight tug. Clay whipped around with his weapon pointed at the monkey, causing said monkey to shriek, and scamper a few feet back, but it didn’t run off. Seeing how it was just a monkey, Clay tried yelling at it, but it refused to budge. Clay had to focus on overwatch, so he put the monkey out of mind and continue to watch the house.

Clay should have paid more attention to the monkey because Momma monkey came up the hill to investigate where her young one went. The baby was pulling on Clay’s pants again, so he gently knocked it away from him. Well, Momma monkey wasn’t happy at all. He was attacked by an enraged ball of grey fur, claws and teeth. He barely had time to cover his face with his arms when Momma monkey hit him. He screamed, grabbed his weapon and moved away from the Momma monkey and down the hill towards exfil. On the way down, he stepped in a hole and went ass over tea kettle down the hill.

Jason saw Clay’s graceful trip while he coming down out of overwatch before he gave the order. “Bravo 6, what are you doing?”

“I, ah, apparently shouldn’t have touched a baby monkey,” Clay groaned, sitting looking at his arms.

This caused all the guys to laugh as they continued towards exfil. Once they were on the chopper, Trent offered him medical care. Clay refused treatment. He didn’t like the way the attending medic was finding undue amusement at his plight.

***

“Bugs and monkeys,” Big D said sympathetically as he sat the burger that Clay hadn’t ordered in front of him along with his fourth beer.

Clay hungrily bit into the burger but continued to talk. “Trees! If I never see a tree again, it’ll be too soon!”

Big D continued to wipe off the bar absently, knowing that Clay had more to say. He ate half the burger but then he went on. “Then on the way back, we got diverted.”

***

“We are diverting to Somalia.” Blackburn was stating, looking at Bravo team on the C-17. “Troops were in contact with rebels when one of the men got separated. We still have radio contact with the soldier. You guys will HAHO in, find the soldier and get him to exfil where we can transport out to the base.”

Jason nodded, and all the guys started to check their gear and getting ready for the next op.

They were soon over the drop zone, geared up and ready to go. They jumped out of the back of the C-17, and quickly rallied around last known position of the soldier.

They patrolled around, avoided the Somali rebels, and eventually found the missing soldier. They pulled up under a line of trees on the far side of the field. Their chopper was just a few clicks away.

Jason was looking over the ridge, wishing they had ISR. “Clay, head up the tree, try to get a look and see if you see any more rebels. Those branches are pretty thin up there, so be careful.”

Clay stepped up to the trunk, Sonny clasped his hands to give him a boost up into the tree.

“Be careful. If you see any monkeys up there, make sure Momma is not around,” Sonny teased as he made sure Clay had a sure footing.

“Stuff it, Bravo 3,” Clay snarled as he continued up the tree. Clay started to climb. About fifteen feet up, he came to a crotch in the tree. As he pulled himself up into it, he glanced further up into the tree to see if he could get any higher.

Suddenly something happened that made him forget about climbing higher. Evidently, there was a wasp’s nest in the crotch of the tree, and he had disturbed it. Angry insects swarmed out of their invaded nest and savagely attacked him. Trying to avoid the vicious stings, he hurried down the tree as fast as he could. On the last branch, he lost his balance and fell out of the tree. He landed with a thud on the ground, still under attack by the wasps. He swatted wildly at his tormentors.

“Clay!” Trent said. Quickly grabbing him by his shoulders and pulling him away from the tree. He grabbed his canteen and started dousing him with water from his canteen. All the other Bravo members joined in, trying to drive the wasps away with water.

“You all right, Peter Pan?” Sonny asked him with concern.

“Fine,” Clay muttered in disgust. His mood now matched that of the wasps. He got up and walked away from the tree.

“So, is the way to exfil clear?” Jason asked.

“Yes, the path to exfil is cleared,” Clay snarled angrily as he continued towards exfil. Unfortunately, there was a recent rain squall and Clay’s shoes were wet from climbing the tree. He began to slide on the tall grass. He was slipping down the small incline and heading right for a boulder. Brock saw what was happening and stepped in front of him to break his fall. Clay still managed to bash his knee on the rock and fall flat on his back in the muddy spot that had been created when he was hosed down with canteen water.

“We need to get you home, Poster Boy,” Sonny said as he looked down at his youngest brother.

“Do I need to check you over?” Trent asked.

Clay exploded furiously. “I do not need to get checked over. The only place I’m going is to a base, finding a shower, and then a hang a hammock on the way home.”

“I don’t know, Pretty Boy, I thought mud was good for bee stings and facials,” Sonny teased.

“To begin with, those weren’t bees!” Clay shook with rage. “Oh, let’s just get out of here!” He got up and continued his way to exfil, hearing snickering behind him.

“You sure he shouldn’t get checked out?” Ray asked Trent.

“Well, there’s not that much I can do for stings anyway besides put ice on them, and that will have to wait until we get to the base. They aren’t really that dangerous unless someone is allergic to the venom and he isn’t,” Trent explained as he walked behind the group of men. One glance at Clay told him that conversation would not be a good idea. He was bristling with anger. One sting was pretty close to his left eye. He was going to take a good look at that later whether Clay liked it or not.

***

“We finally get back to the base, which took forever. I was tempted to jump out of the chopper and see if I could hitch a ride with someone else. When we got back and I washed off all the mud, Trent started fussing like an old lady. I’m telling you, Big D, it was like he was the mad scientist and I was new specimen he wanted to experiment on,” Clay complained. “To say nothing of the fact, the base didn’t have any hot food, so we were stuck with MREs. You know, these burgers are good. I think I was starving. And another beer too.”

“Boy, I’ll say,” Big D agreed. Jasper had anticipated the request for a second burger once they’d tricked him into the first. Big D slid the plate along with some fries in front of Clay and went to re-fill his glass. “Between bugs, monkeys and wasps…”

“And Sonny has been going non-stop with all the jokes,” Clay muttered as he bit into the second burger. “He has gotten into his head that now that I’ve been stung by all those bees that I was going to turn into superhero. He dumped honey on me before I got into the shower. I tried to tell the idiot that they were wasps and not bees, but he has the brain power of a pea and he just didn’t get it. I finally get it through his thick skull that wasps don’t make honey, they make paper. Then he teepee’s my hammock with toilet paper.”

“Sonny does like his pranks,” Big D agreed.

“I’ll tell ya what he can do with those pranks,” Clay slurred emphatically.

“Well, look at the bright side. Both ops were a success, you’re alive and you’re home,” Big D reasoned.

“Yeah, just barely. But the worse thing is what happened when we were off-loading the C-17. We are all carrying crates, and I trip over a tie-down, my crate goes flying down the ramp. And that’s when it happened.” Clay said, looking morosely at the beer at the bottom of the class.

“What happened?” asked Jasper who was no also caught up in the tale.

“Well, and this wasn’t my fault even though Blackburn doesn’t see it that way, when I dropped the crate and it went flying down the ramp, it hit Blackburn in the back of his knees and knocked him flat on his ass while he was talking to five members of the upper Brass.”

“Ouch,” Big D groaned. There were times when Lt. Commanders were notoriously short of a sense of humor, and that would be one of them.

“The way I figure it, Blackburn will have me running hills until after I retire,” Clay sighed and took another drink of beer.

Big D nodded at Ray Perry, who just walked in.

“What are you doing here?” Clay asked suspiciously. He wasn’t all together sure he wasn’t still mad at Bravo because they had laughed at him multiple times over the past couple of days.

“Naima dropped me off. She’s going grocery shopping and says it always costs more if she brings me along,” Ray explained lightly, taking the bar stool next to Clay and reaching for a handful of cheese popcorn.

Big D sat a beer in front of Ray. He knew why Ray was there. Big D had Jasper call him.

Ray glanced at Clay and then at Big D. He agreed with Big D that Clay was in no condition to drive. Ray and Big D made small talk for a few minutes then Ray turned to Clay. “Finish you your lunch, Spenser, and I’ll drive you home,” he said pleasantly as Big D handed him Clay’s car keys.

“You can’t do that. How will Naima know where to pick you up?” Clay questioned as he let Ray ease him to his feet.

Clay was pretty unsteady, so Ray put his hand on Clay’s elbow to both guide and catch him if he fell. “Let me clue ya in on a little secret about wives, brother. They know everything.” Ray said with a grin. “And there is also this miracle invention called a cell phone.”

“I’ll just put all this on the tab,” Big D said as the two SEALs made their way to the door. Ray waved in agreement with his free hand.

Big D shook his head sympathetically and glanced at the large calendar that hung on the wall by the landline. He didn’t have the heart to point out to them that Bravo team would be going on rotation just in time for Friday the 13th.


End file.
